[poultrygeist]

Hi,
At the mo, we have a budget plastic hopper for the layers pellets but the food ends up kicked about by the end of the day.

We have it under the coop so weather isn't a problem.

This looks better but seems a bit of a bargain.

ebay feeder

Do you reckon it's worth going for or too good to be true ?? ie. flimsy and likely to go rusty in 6 months.

Thanks for any opinions.

Julie

[Bagpuss]

It looks good, but the price and cost of postage do make it seem as if it would be a bit flimsy.  You could ask them how much it weighs I suppose.

[Bodger]

Personally I don't use a hopper of any description, I only feed my chickens once and just very occasionally twice a day. I give them enough food so that they clear it up very quickly. I don't like food lying around all day. This avoids waste and even more importantly this method doesn't attract vermin.

My birds are very happy and healthy on this regime and it works. I never ever feed late on in the day because any food left on the floor over night is likely to attract rats and mice.

[GrannieAnnie]

we've got those for the chicks PG, and they are not very heavy, and I was forever emptying them of poo and straw that the chicks and hens throw over them.  I even stood them on a long bit of wood with blocks under to make them higher, but they knocked it off onto the floor.

I will only use them again whilst the chicks are tiny!  Which one have you got now?  We use some galvanised ones we've had for ages, and we bought some big red ones from Solway feeders for £10 that take 12kgs of food and have a top and a scratch resist ring around it.  they are brilliant!

http://www.solwayfeeders.com/ProductsResultsList1.asp?cat=4

[Jellyhead]

I have 2 of these in one pen and one in the other along with normal feeders. I have never had a problem with them, they are plastic but the weight of the food keeps them balanced and the chooks love em. They always get emptied first

[henny penny]

We found the best way to feed was to hang the hopper from the hen house roof so it can't be kicked over. I have one like the e-bay feeder for chicks but it gets filthy and as they get bigger they knock it over.

[richyrich7]

Mine hangs up to stop them knocking it over, homemade job out of a flower pot and bucket bottom.  

[poultrygeist]

Thanks for all the comments.

I think on balance it might be a bit lightweight, as reflected in the postage costs, and we are considering one of the hanging plastic ones from solway.

At least that way it's kept off the ground and if any vermin got into the run, it'd make it more awkward for them.

Plus it can't get filled with bits of muck and feathers !

Thanks again. You've talked me out of it. Have to find some other bits to spend on now.  :roll:

[mumsy]

Last summer I caught 3 rats hanging off the hangy up one!!!!  a foot off the ground!! The chooks wouldn't go near it after that.  Rat prob solved now but have gone back to using a plastic one.

[slowef]

Try these she is lovely cheap postage good items and fast to arrive better than some Uk sellers I have tried  

Birds and Bees Poultry supplies etc

[poultrygeist]

:shock:  :shock:  :shock:
Strewth Mumsy. That sounds like it must have been a nasty surprise.

Fingers crossed, our run SHOULD be just about rat-resistant (I won't say proof!) so at worst I'm expecting mice or very young rats which should be timid and easy to scare. The dog trots around every so often in the day and leaves his scent everywhere. Plus we have the Tawny owls in the trees behind, which have just started calling at night.

I'm planning to put down a peice of plastic gutter with poison to catch any that venture near. All in all it's a bit of a fortress but I know they are b*ggers to keep out when they're determined.

[poultrygeist]

Thanks Slowef. I'll have a look.

We're hoping to go to CWG as soon as the car is running again. They might have something similar which would save the postage but if not I'll give them a try.